Inch Cape offshore wind farm Providing ongoing consent services for a wind farm

What was the aim of the work?

Natural Power carried out a wide range of consent services for our client to help with the consenting process on this offshore windfarm. We first worked on this wind farm in 2013 to provide EIA coordination and management for the offshore submission for this Scottish offshore wind farm. In 2017, we provided EIA services for a revised development for both the 2018 on and offshore applications. We then worked on this project for both post-application and post-consent support.

What was the outcome for the client?

Our input meant that both the 2013 and 2018 applications were consented for this project.

What did Natural Power do to get this result?

Natural Power team members were seconded as EIA consultants on the developer’s team for both applications. They led the coordination of the EIA offshore application in 2013 and 2018, and the onshore application in 2018. They also worked with engineering and technical specialists to make sure that project designs were suitable and consentable, and they liaised with Marine Scotland and key consultees, such as local planning authorities, the fishing industry and key stakeholders.

We acted as the lead technical advisor for benthic, marine mammal and fish for the 2013 and 2018 application and commercial fisheries for the 2018 application. We carried out benthic, fish and bird and marine mammal surveys and fisheries stakeholder consultation, and we produced benthic, marine mammal, natural fish and commercial fisheries scoping and EIA chapters. We also completed the habitat regulations assessment (HRA) for marine mammals and migratory fish, and we reviewed the licence conditions for the consented project and provided advice on updating these.

Client testimonial

“Through the wide range of services Natural Power has provided the project over the years they have always provided excellent support and advice. This has helped the project navigate around some difficult consenting and technical situations and their input and advice has been greatly appreciated over the years.”  

Name: Andrew Blyth

Company: Red Rock Power

Position: Project environment and consents manager